Combination brace and nut lock for automobiles and the like



Dec. 6, 1927. 1,651,559

M. c. SKAGGS COMBINATION BRACE AND NUT LOOK FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE Filed April 15. 1926 3' .[w TOE War/ 6. jA j.

@jiif ir rods;

Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

1 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

1mm 0. snares; or cnocxnn, 'mssoimr, nssrenon or ONE-HAL]? '10 minus MAL- nnrzrn, or CROCKER, MISSOURI.

COMBINATION BRACE AND w: LOOK r03. AUTQMOBFILESFANID rnn- Lixn.

Application filed April 15, 1926. Serial No. 102,862.

3 This invention relates generally to automobiles and, more,particularly, to a certain new and useful improvement in combination braces and locks for the radius-rods and perch securing-nuts of automobiles of the Fordtype. f t

My present invention has for its ch ef object the provision of means preferably n the form of a relatively simple, inexpensive, and conveniently installed device, adapted for use in connection with automobiles ofthe type named, for efliciently supporting and bracing the radius rods thereof adjacent the. car front axle and, at the same r time, looking against removal or displacement the spring-perch and radius-rod securing or retaining nuts. 1 v

,And. with he above and other ob ects 111 view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawing, Figure l is a vertical sectional view throughthe car front axle adjacent one end thereof, illustrating a combination brace and nutlock of my invention, shown in longi-" tudinal section,in connection with theaxle assembly of one of the spring-suspension bracketsor perches andone of the radius- Figure2 is an elevational vi'ew 'ofi the parts illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 33, Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now more in detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my inven-' tion, A designates theIcar front axle, which is of the usual I-beam' section, comprising a'central web land top an-d'bottom flanges 2 and 3, respectively. j p

Seated on the top-flange 2 of jthe axle A and including a shank f projecting downwardly through a bored axle-portion 5 provided for the purpose, is a standard springsuspension bracket or so-called perch B.

The perch-shankeis of a length to extend somewhat below the lower axle-flange 3, and fitting on such end of saidshank a and abutting against the lower axle-flange" especially 3, is an offset flattened apertured end-extension 6 of a rearwardly andangularly or obliquely presented radius-rod C.

At its lower end, the. perch-shank 4 is threaded, as at :7, to receive a nut 8 prefera? bly providediwith transverse slots 9 for accommodating the usual cotter-pin 10 that is passed through an aligning transverse bore in the shank 4 for normallysecuring the nut .8 against displacement, the nut 8 serving the dual function .of normally retaining both the V spring-perch B and the radius-rod G. in their 9 an automobile is subjected in use, not only do the radius-rods C very. frequently become I bent or twis ted adjacent theaxle A and I thereby interfere with proper running manipulation of the car, but that also the nuts 7, notwithstanding thecotter-pins 10, fre-. quently work loose, with a resulting and. correspond ng looseness in the spring-suspension bracketsBl and theradius rods C, which ls not only annoying by the rattle of the pan ma dangerous on account of the :lia-

bilityof breakageat the connection, more or less severe accidents often resulting.

To overcome and obv ate suchfaults,my

present invention contemplates the applica-.

tion of a supplemental reinforcement Din I.

the form of a combined brace for the radiusrod "C and lock for the nut 8. This rein V of,as best seen in Figures 1 and 2. Projecting angularly and forwardly from yoke 11,

are fork-extensions 13, 14 of relatively unequal length adapted to rest upon and supj lower axle-flange 3 in straddling relationv to portlngly engage with the upper face of the bored axle-portion 5, as best seen in Fig ure 3. Complementing the yoke 11, 1s a secin form, and in the formation of its ofi'set flattened apertured,end-portion 6, the ra dius-rod C is provided with a front end face 19. Forming preferably an integral part or extension of the under rod-engaging yoke 15, is a forwardly and upwardly presented lug 20, which, when the yokes 1 1 andlfi are in clamped radius-rod engaging relation, is adapted to fitsnugly between andfengage the )erclrnut 8 and thesaid front end-face 19 o the radiusrod C, the lug 20 having an arcuate rearface and la n-01a face being in the form, of anannular seat or V-sha ed recess,as best seen in Figure 3, for wec gelike engaging with one of the corners and two contiguous llat facesof the nut 8.

Itwill thus be evident that, when the opposed yokes 11 and 15 are in clamped radiusrod en aging relation with the lug interposed between thenutS and thefront endface 19 of the radius-rod C,not only is a re inforcing support orbrace afforded for the radius-rod C adjacentthe axle A and at the point subjected to greatest strainsand where the usual heretofore twistingor bending has occurred, but also that the nut 8 is most se curely held and retained in perch and radiusma securing engagement with the perchshank -:tso securely even that the usual cotter-pinlOinay be whollydispensed with,

My new device is exceedingly simple. in form and construction, may be inexpensively manufactured, may 1 be conveniently installed upon the aut0 nobi1e,;and has been found exceedingly cflieient in the perfornu ance of its intended functions.

I am a are that changes in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my new device may be made and substituted for those hereinshown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is: l a

1. An automobile combined radius-rod brace andperclnnut lock including, in combination, a pair of omplemntm yoke members angular-1y recessed to seat inopposedrelation upon opposite sides of the radius rod, an extension upon one of said yoke-members adapted for supporting engagement upon a flange of the axle, alug having a V-shaped front recess carried by opposed relation upon the radium-0d, a BU forked-extension upon one of said yokemembers adapted for supporting engagement upon the axle in straddling relation with saidshank, alug having a V-shaped front recess carried by the other yoke-incur her adapted to snugly titan nut-engaging relation between said nut and the front-end of the radius'rod, and means engaging the yoke-members for securing the sanieirr co operative relation upon the radius-rod.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to'this specification. it l MERT G. SKAGGS. c 

